Make it easier for search engines to find your blog: create a sitemap.

This quick and easy tutorial will help you create a Sitemap for your blog. An XML Sitemap is a must have for any blogger looking to improve their SEO. Take a minute and make sure yours is set up.

What is an XML Sitemap? An XML Sitemap is a page on your blog that lists every page on your website. Having this sitemap makes it easier for Google and other search engines to crawl (find) pages on your blog.

You could create your own sitemap following Google’s instructions, or use an online, sitemap generator.

Lucky for us, creating a Sitemap with WordPress is super easy. Especailly for bloggers using the Yoast SEO plugin

Create a Sitemap using the Yoast SEO Plugin

If you haven’t yet, install and activate the Yoast SEO Plugin.

Once it is activated, navigate SEO > XML Sitemaps (not seeing this tab? You may have to activate it by going to Yoast SEO > Dashboard > Features and turn on Advanced Settings Page)

Click the enable button

Your XML Sitemap is now all ready to go!

To review your sitemap settings at anytime, navigate to this page and click the link next to “You can find your XML Sitemap here”.

As you create new pages and posts, the XML sitemap will automatically update for you.

Don’t you just love plugins that do the work for you?

You’re not done yet though. Now you need to give your sitemap to Google to help them find your blog. Copy that link to your sitemap and head over to the next tutorial.

Kristie Hill

Hi! I'm Kristie, but you probably guessed that. I'm here to help you with the technical, social, and business sides of blogging so that you can focus on the most important part of your blog: your content. You can learn more about me here. Go ahead and stalk me Facebook,Twitter,Pinterest,

Reader Interactions

Comments

Thanks so much for the always helpful advice! I had Google Sitemaps + Yoast and kept receiving an error message from Yoast about having 2 sitemaps. I was scared to delete either of them, so I came to your site to see what you advised. Now I only have Yoast 🙂 Thanks, Kristie!

Hi! I have a question…you said that, if you already have the Yoast plug-in, you don’t need that one and the one you recommended. What if you’re a brand-new blogger? Should I install XML Sitemaps to make the sitemap, and then install Yoast for SEO?

Nope. If you plan on using Yoast (and most bloggers do these days) then you won’t need the XML sitemaps plugin. You don’t need or want duplicate sitemaps. Not only does it add unnecessary bulk to your blog, but it could potentially confuse search engines.

If you decided to use the Yoast SEO plugin, then creating a sitemap is super easy. From your WordPress dashboard navigate to SEO < XML Sitemaps and make sure the box is checked next to Check this box to enable XML sitemap functionality.

Hello Kristie! It looks like I am having the same problem a few other people above are experiencing. I don’t have the “build it” option for my Google XML Sitemap plugin, just Deactivate or Edit. I am hoping that it will still work for me though!
Thank you for these great posts on getting my blog set up, they have been SO helpful!

Hi. We figured out the problem everyone was having, there is a plugin with a similar name. Delete the plugin you have installed and add the Google XML Sitemaps (with an s) by Arne Brachhold. Hope that helps! Let me know if you have issues after installing this plugin instead.

Hi Kristie,
Thanks for sharing so much information. I need all the help I can get. I was trying to active the Google Site Plug-In of which I did install it but when I go to Settings it does not show up there so I feel it is not totally installed properly since I did not to the “Build It” step. Any thoughts???

Hello 🙂 I am working on creating a sitemap and am having the same problem as the above poster. I do not see a Settings option, nor do I see a “Build It” option. I don’t see any other options that seem to apply. Any advice on what to do next?

Thanks for popping by my site earlier! I just downloaded this plugin — something that I hadn’t seen yet that I needed. Thanks so much! Following you on Facebook now as well. Looking forward to reading more tips!

Kristie, thank you for the detailed instructions for creating an XML Sitemap! Any help I can get about raising search engine awareness of my blog I will take (and do)! I will definitely be checking your blog for more tips! Thanks again!
Natalie @ *Faux Jewels*Real Gems*

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